Cowley Falls, Friendship Falls, and Cowley 3 Falls
This waterfall is a massive waterfall located next to the Palmerston Highway. A rough track takes you to the top of the falls and we describe how to get to the bottom of Cowley Falls to see the cave-like feature.
Location - Wooroonooran National Park, North Queensland, Australia
Distance - To the top: ~2 km return; Bottom of Cowley and Friendship Falls: ~5 km circuit.
Duration - To the top: ~1-2 hours return; Bottom of Cowley and Friendship Falls: 4-6 hour circuit.
Difficulty - To the top: Grade 4, on a rough track; Bottom of Cowley and Friendship Falls: Grade 5.
Elevation gain - ~110 metres
A stunning waterfall is located closer than you think. The Aboriginal name for Cowley Falls is Durbudgerbah,, and it is located just off the Palmerston Highway and is a large drop-off. The base of the falls has a small cave-like feature to it. Below, we describe the old, long-forgotten tourist track to the top of the falls, the steep new track down the ridgeline, and the whitewater kayaker's track up from the river. Linking these routes makes for a great circuit.
The early settlers took the Geraldton Tramway to within 10 miles of the falls and then a horseback trail the rest of the way.
Cowley Falls, Friendship Falls (a.k.a. Little Cowley Falls), and Cowley 3.
See also the Friendship Falls article.